2003 was the Dropkick Murphys� third annual St. Patrick�s Day bash at Lansdowne Street�s Avalon Ballroom. Since they began this in 2001, every show has been sold out for months in advanced, making it very hard for many to get in without having to go through scalpers. I was fortunate to make it to 3 of the 4 nights (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday) with backstage passes. Here is my critique�
FRIDAY
Tommy & the Terrors were on first. They played an AWESOME set. I much enjoyed it. They played some of their old favorites along with some from the new album, �13 the Hard Way�.
I�m not too into the Explosion, who played next, so I didn�t pay much attention to them, but they played a TROUBLE COVER!!! I was going crazy! I miss the Trouble so much! It was nice to hear a song of theirs played live again (it has been about 4 years).
Then was the Dropkicks. They played awesome, as always. Since this was being recorded to be played on the radio later, they played a lot of the newer stuff along with some songs that are going to be on the new album. The new piper, Scruffy, is great! He has such a stage presence &, as much as I love Robbie (Spicey), I think this new guy did a much better job. He played more songs & even in between songs he would come out & play with the crowd some as opposed to Robbie who would just play his songs & then hide in the back most of the time, smoking & drinking.
After the show, me & some other people went to Uno�s to grab a bite to eat. I was feeling wicked sick to my stomach, so that was kinda shitty, but I did get to spend some time with some good people.
SATURDAY
I was very sick in the morning & I totally didn�t want to go to the show (I was seriously considering not going), but I�m SO glad I did!
Discipline opened. They were really good. I was quite impressed & their merch guy was nice despite his ugly facial tattoos. They did a really good Cock Sparrer cover�
This is proof as to how lame DKM crowds have gotten: No one in the place knew the Cock Sparrer song. People are stupid cunts. If you are so lame that you don�t even know a Cock Sparrer song, you deserve to die. Sorry that was completely off track�perhaps a good topic for a rant sometime�
I got Discipline�s autographs for my honorary little bro, Tristan, but they were kinda scary (they were very tall & had really deep accents!). They were intimidating, but actually pretty nice guys when you started talking to them.
Next was Roger Miret & the Disasters. The Disasters ROCKED. They covered the Clash & sent it out to Joe Strummer. They also covered Cock Sparrer, which again no one in the crowd knew. Roger Miret had remembered me & my mom from the last time I went to New York Hardcore to get my devil & angel tattoo outlines done & he was wicked nice.
The Dropkicks set was absolutely awesome! They played more stuff from �The Gang�s All Here� (my favorite album of theirs) and they actually played a BRUISERS SONG!!! Some of my friends, had gotten on stage for their set & we all went absolutely crazy. It seems as though it was only me & my few friends who had even heard �American Night� before. Dropkick crowds are so lame�stupid college kids.
The after show party backstage was so much fun. Some of the Lost City Angels guys were there & were extremely drunk. Ronnie (vocalist) & Adam (drummer) piled on top of me after knocking me over on one of the benches & started yelling �DORA SANDWICH!� Then the pipers spontaneously started piping, it was great! Then of course these fucking dance-hall DJs started playing rap really loud, trying to get us to leave so people threw fingers & beer bottles at them. People should learn not to fuck with us ;-)
SUNDAY
Our buddies, Suspect Device, opened! They were absolutely GREAT. I haven�t seen them play this well for quite a while, it was nice. They played mostly older stuff and stuff from �Boston Massacre�.
Then the Unseen played so of course I just stayed back stage & hung out with people. I hate the Unseen so much (I miss Darkbuster ha ha ha).
The Dropkicks were really good. I liked this set better than the Friday night show, but nothing could ever possibly be better than Saturday (there ain�t no topping the Bruisers!). They played more stuff from �Do Or Die� & �The Gang�s All Here� (I like those albums so much more than �Sing Loud, Sing Proud�).
The pipers played even more after the gig back stage. Bagpipes rule.
Incase you guys can�t tell, this weekend fucking ruled. The only thing that would have made it more fun is if the crowd knew more of the music. Sure, everyone knew the Dropkick songs, but no one knew any of the covers or the opening bands. It makes me so angry to see that the people who got tickets are the ones who really don�t know anything about our music or our scene when I know so many people who wanted to come, who really appreciate the music, & couldn�t get in.
But all in all, it was a rocking weekend!